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'Lucy' Inspires Our List of the Best Female Superheroes

Lucy

She might not have a cape or tights or a league of fellow heroes to back her up, but there's no denying that Lucy is a superhero. She's got powers, she's got arch enemies, she's got the determination to fight through anything, and she's got Scarlett Johansson playing her. And, if Lucy does well, it might make studios a bit more likely to take a risk on putting some other female heroes on the big screen. We happen to have a few suggestions for where they can start...

Batgirl

Barbara Gordon was one of the toughest, bravest and coolest superheroes around when she was paralyzed by the Joker. But instead of giving up her career as a crime fighter, she simply pulled herself together, changed her name to Oracle and formed the Birds of Prey, an amazing, intense collective of awesome female superheroes. It’s like the Justice League, but more terrifying.

Photo: DC Comics

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Storm

The first black female superhero, Storm is one of the most powerful and intelligent comic book figures of all time: a master thief, a talented sorceress and a kind, caring guardian to the children at Xavier’s Academy. Plus, she can rock a Mohawk better than anyone else, real or fictional.

Photo: Marvel

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Huntress

The child of a Mafia family who became one of Gotham’s most feared vigilante heroes, Helena Bertinelli is the kind of heroine who has never let anyone’s opinion change the way she sees herself or distract her from her mission. Sure, she might have a temper and be prone to violence, but hey, everyone has flaws.

Photo: DC Comics

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She Hulk

Though she was recently at the center of some controversy (which gave all of us a great deal of faith in the way David Goyer will write female heroes for years to come) She Hulk has endured as one of the more unappreciated heroines. An intelligent, skilled lawyer who also happens to be a tough, capable fighter and a complex, interesting human being, Jennifer Walters has proven over the years that there’s a lot more lurking beneath her powerful green surface.

Photo: Marvel

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Scarlet Witch

Part time member of the X-Men, part time Avenger, the Scarlet Witch is the only heroine on this list to appear in two film franchises at the same time. It makes sense: if you had the opportunity to bring an all-powerful mutant witch with a history of fighting for both good and evil and who happens to have a wise-cracking twin brother, you wouldn’t let it pass by either.

Photo: Marvel

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Jean Grey/Phoenix

An integral part of what has made the X-Men such a compelling, enduring group of heroes, Jean Grey’s best moment came when she sacrificed herself and the unimaginable powers that she had in order to protect the people she loved. That’s the kind of hero we should all look up to.

Captain Marvel

Thanks to an interaction with a Kree alien, Carol Danvers gained superhuman strength, speed, and the ability to absorb and project energy, but her biggest accomplishment thus far has been turning Captain Marvel from a lesser-known hero into a true comic book icon. Shazam who?

Photo: Marvel

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Catwoman

Sure, she’s usually more of a villain than a hero, but Catwoman is still one of the toughest, smartest and best-dressed comic book characters of all time, and her skill with a bull ship should be admired, even if she’s using it for evil more often than not. And one day, if we’re lucky, she’ll finally get the movie she deserves.

Rogue

Being a mutant is tough. Being a teenage mutant with the bad habit of accidentally killing everything you touch is a nightmare. But Rogue never the unfortunate side of her powers stop her from becoming one of the most compelling, complex and badass comic book characters of all time. She’s not just a superhero, she’s a role model for kids dealing with the downsides of puberty everywhere.